The End

We have been back in NZ for six weeks. Thanks to the big welcomes from family and friends...it definitely feels like coming home. Good to recognise the Kiwi accent again and a few weeks down in the South Island reinforced just how open and generous New Zealanders are. We reacquainted ourselves with well remembered landscapes and explored some new ones down there hiking from Arthur's Pass to the Lewis Pass and spending some time at Akaroa and Gore Bay and the magnificent scenery of the Kaikoura coast. Then on up along SH1 through the small and not so small towns of the heartland each that special combination of sameness and difference. Our last night, spent in Raglan, had us wishing we could live there...a familiar refrain on our journey north.

And now the future. Where will it take us? Ca sera sera.

Heading Home from Kuala Lumpur

Plantations inland in Phuket 

Markets all lit up at Little India for Diwali festival 

Clamourously loud music!

Stunning flower sculptures

Delicious treats from Venusitas... The freshest, homemade from ground Dahl, coconut cream and milk 

Last breakfast...back at Aloft Hotel again

Groovy design

Train past the old original railway station 

Glitter artwork... Very beautiful and sparkly

One last swim at the hotel, then it's homeward bound! To two loving children meeting us in the middle of Labour Weekend! Can't wait to see them.

Last Day In Paradise....

Bird of Paradise and Hibiscus flowers

Just everywhere 

M cavorts on the sand

Our fave refreshment. Frozen Green coconut whizzed into a smoothie

'You buy Madam'

Beautiful specimens

The light show on the beach at night.

I from THAI-land!

Why Phuket? Yes it is touristy and does not exactly fit with the ethos of our epic sojourn. But neither of us have been to Thailand before and being the wet season and with only a week up our sleeves, it seemed to offer more flexibility than the other areas we considered. The weather hasn't been as bad as we anticipated with only a few real tropical downpours sending us scurrying helter skelter for shelter. 

The locals are incredibly friendly.

Some photos from town and around:

M thinks he will be a cert for the cashier job once the Thai citizenship comes through.

Concrete version of the plastic stool.

Fish in Mr Tan's aquarium...not sure if it was on the menu.

N fancied this place to retire to...I think it was the Banty chicks that appealed most.

A small 'secret' beach we walked to, accessed by boat or steep steps down from the road. Only a few people. We were going to sleep on the beach but violent electrical storm that evening made us chicken out.

Hard at work!

Surin Beach

We were intrigued by this Hip Hotel, especially being newest chick and stylish...and it's only NZ$20 a night so we had to go there...

Looks a bit different from the road

And ground level not so glamourously presented...

And still under construction... 

But very lovely place to stay. A clever no-frills simple style, heaps of space and great futon and slat bed

Heaps of wide shelves for luggage

Kitch-ish styling, concrete floors and faux concrete walls and built in shelves. 

Very elegant toilet, vase/cistern combo, dont think these would take off in NZ somehow. Toilet roll holder has a book slot on top.

Minimalist entry design thrown out by scooters and 8 new toilets 

Wiring everywhere is like this, outside our window

Next door kids. The banties have tiny chicks

Our local, Mr Tan Cafe, Mr Tan bought his own coffee roaster and uses local beans. Pretty good and 2 mins away.

Excellent clientele @ Mr Tans 

Silver Fox...

Local shops selling shrines 

Version of PVC used as pipe and as railing, ladders, scooter sidecars, retaining walls 

Restaurants along  Surin Beach

Walking back home from the beach via a new 'short-cut'...